Phoenix Suns hold off the Golden State Warriors, win 5th straight game

PHOENIX — They are a team predicated on guard play. They can score in droves off their 3-point shooters and use smaller lineups to kick up the pace.

That is what makes Golden State a popular NBA team, but it is what made the Suns the better team on Sunday night at US Airways Center.

The Suns stayed ahead of the league’s crush, the Warriors, in the Western Conference standings, where a 106-102 victory kept the Suns in sixth place and a game from fourth while getting their first five-game winning streak since January 2011.

“Nobody expected us to be in the spot that we are in right now but it is nice,” Suns guard Goran Dragic said. “It’s awesome. We haven’t felt this good in a long time.”

As they did against the Lakers on Tuesday, the Suns (14-9) took a first-quarter lead and never trailed again. Golden State (13-12) was on the brink of taking a lead or tying repeatedly in the final 15 minutes, but Phoenix held off every attempt.

Just as coach Jeff Hornacek said before the game, the Suns have learned to finish close games. They dug in for key stops and hit big baskets, especially Channing Frye’s fifth 3-pointer that gave them a 102-95 lead with 3:19 to go.

“This is a special group and I’m happy to be a part of it,” Frye said.

The Suns made 13 3s to open up their guard play. The Warriors did not have such big shots in them, even with big shots Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

On Golden State’s possessions with a chance to take lead in the final 15 minutes, the Warriors went 0 for 4 from the field and 0 for 2 on free throws and made two turnovers. The key ones came in the final minute, when Dragic stole Draymond Green’s baseline pass for Thompson in the corner with a 102-100 Suns lead. Moments later after an Eric Bledsoe turnover, Golden State trailed 102-100 when stopper P.J. Tucker switched off a screen onto Curry, who recently ranked himself second to Michael Jordan for clutch shooting.

“I want that last-second defense,” Tucker said. “No question. I called that switch so quick. I live for those moments, for sure.”

Tucker tightly stayed in front of Curry to prompt an off-balanced, missed jumper to tie with 23.9 seconds to go.

“I couldn’t get a shot off,” Curry said. “I tried to draw a foul, get him off the air but he didn’t go for it. Great D.”

Curry still had 30 points and seven assists with Thompson adding 19 points but the Suns’ backcourt had comparable impact.

Bledsoe tallied 24 points, eight assists and eight rebounds while Dragic made all four of his 3s after making 4 of 5 3s on Friday. Dragic finished with 21 points and Frye added 20 points with five 3s, putting him at 48 percent 3-point shooting in the past 14 games.

“We think our guards can play with any of them,” Hornacek said. “Those are two great guards that they have on that team and our guys fought them all game.”

The Suns held Golden State, the fifth-ranked shooting team, to 42.5 percent shooting. Phoenix’s big men showed high or helped off screens against Curry and Thompson to get the ball out of their hands. They took their chances with Andrew Bogut and David Lee and had timely help, like center Miles Plumlee’s three third-quarter blocks on Lee rolling free.

“I’m finding that the guys in the suits and ties want it more than the guys in uniforms,” said Warriors coach Mark Jackson, whose team is 5-7 without injured Andre Iguodala.

The Suns led 59-46 but a 7-0 Warriors close to the first half and a rough Suns offensive third quarter trimmed the lead to 81-80 entering the fourth.

The Suns got bench help from Marcus Morris (11 points) and Gerald Green (10 points), particularly with key fourth-quarter plays such as Green’s block on Thompson and three consecutive Morris scores.

View from press row: This is not a Golden State team that always will play like it did Sunday or remain outside the playoff race. The Warriors have played more road games than any team and only four games against the Eastern Conference. They are adrift without Andre Iguodala, their top defender and extra playmaker who is their calm during storms.

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